Question re: letters of recommendation

[colorado_doc_2B]

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Hi everyone,

I apologize if this has been asked before, but I did a search and couldn't find an exact answer to my question. I'm a non-traditional student, and I'm trying to decide who I should ask for letters of recommendation. I would like to ask one professor who I've been doing research with, my research supervisor (she only has a B.S. but knows me well), the volunteer coordinator at the hospice I volunteer for, and (maybe) my current boss in a non-medically related job. But, I remember reading somewhere that adcoms prefer to see letters from professors. I could ask more professors for letters, but they don't know me very well--I go to office hours and ask questions, so they know who I am, but they don't know very much about me. What do you think? If I send in 4 letters of recommendation and only one of them is from a professor, is that okay? I really want to go to the University of Colorado at Denver, but they don't have any information on their website regarding who letters of recommendation should be from. BTW, my school does not offer a committee letter.

 

[FDoRoML]

Hey, I was in the same situation (no pre-med committee letter or service).

You really will be better off getting a letter only from the prof (not the research supervisor)-- her letter would not hold much weight (if any) in the adcoms eyes and it's sort of a repeat of info the prof's letter should provide. Unless the prof is a jerk, they could include some info from the research super they may not know personally to make you look even better.

Volunteer coordinator at hospice is OK, but the head physician at the hospice would be better. Again, they could take info from the volunteer coordinator to improve the letter.

You MUST have letters from people who've taught you, if at all possible. Some schools will totally eliminate you without them, some will just be skeptical. If your grades kicked butt, then the ones who will only be skeptical will relax a little bit, but it's still not ideal. Some explicitly state they need letters from two science profs who have taught you, some say one science and one non-science is OK.

They will be looking for letters from PhDs at the prof level and MDs who you've done clinical work with, as well as people of any level of education who you've done volunteer activities with.

Check each school's requirements to make sure you're able to satisfy them. It would be terrible to go through the primary and secondary apps and fees just to find out you need to scramble for another letter or two OR you have to drop that school (believe me, they don't offer refunds!).

FD

 

[colorado_doc_2B]

Thanks for the advice, FDoRoML. I guess I will need to try really hard to get to know another professor well enough that they can write me a good letter of recommendation.

 

[chopstick1]

it's always good to get letters from your professors, MD, DO's. if I remember right most of the apps want 2 professors. I didn't use a letter service b/c I've been out of school for 10 yrs. but I did get 1 professor LOR. the rest were from my supervisor and DO. if you can try to get your research professor (PhD) to write you one. also if you try for DO school, most will want one from a DO. make sure you attach a letter on why you didn't use a comittee letter. good luck! 👍

 

[mdadmit]

Hello there. I am a former Harvard pre-med advisor/current resident and thought I could lend some help. My job used to be writing the committee letter for the Harvard undergrads.

You are one of the few people (of the 100s I've helped get into med school) that had the right idea about recommendations. It is about quality and not name power. It is ALWAYS better to have a rec from someone who knows you well rather then getting two lines from a prof. The goal of recs is to represent how well-rounded you are and try to tie together the disparate aspects of your life. However, you definitely need to represent your academic life. This is what I suggest:

1 science
1 humanities
2+ extracurricular - research, job, community service, athletics

You can always ask the research supervisor to write the rec (as she knows you well) and have the PhD co-sign it. This is a very common practice.

The hospice director and boss can work to round out your extracurriculars

So now you will have to find a way to represent your academic career, particularly in science. Again, perhaps you could have a former teaching assistant that knows you well write a rec and have it also signed by a prof.

Further, I suggest you call your top choice schools and ask what their policy is regarding recs. It can never hurt to ask.

Good luck🙂

 

[makingmd]

Can I extend this. Also non trad. No committee at undergrad even though that was years ago. How did you all ask for, get and send LOR's??

Thanks!!

 

[MiesVanDerMom]

I am using Interfolio to send my letters out. I emailed profs and then went and met with them. I took my resume and rough draft of my PS.

 

[viostorm]

Here is my advice, you are trying to create the best interview package for you.

I think i've posted this before and is what I did:

* I recommend against using pre-med committee letters if at all possible. They tend to be much more objective, they don't know you as well. This is an honest story about the UVA premed committee, a girl scheduled an appointment for some advice with the premed advisor AFTER she had already been admitted/accepted to MD school. The guy misinterpreted her visit and thought she was there to ask for application counseling. He told her, "your grades are not good enough, you should look for other careers then medicine".

Now is that the type of person you want writing your recommendation?

* I also anecdotally can say that pre-med committee's tend to be much less positive / forgiving about non-traditional students. They have lots of 30/3.6 students working when them and don't really want to help you.

* I picked 3 RECENT people that met the requirements for TMDSAS and that i was sure WOULD ONLY SAY POSITIVE THINGS. Don't choose someone who won't write you a good rec.

* I gave each person a resume with my activities.

* I told each person the qualities about me I wanted them to comment on in a cover letter. Example "Because you supervised my volunteer activities, I would appreciate it if you would convey to the admissions committee: my work ethic, that I was never late, compassionate with patients, et cetera"

If you don't give them stuff to write about, then they will write about whatever they want. You can direct them by giving them resume and cover letter.

* Don't give your letter writers anything negative about you. If you have bad grades, don't give them your transcript unless they ask. If they don't know about it, they can't write about it. (Unless of course you want them to talk about how you have "changed" as a student, and then address this up front with them so they will know you want them to cast it in a positive light)

My view has always been it is better to have 3 people saying glowing positive thigns about you then mediocre pre-med committee letter.

People on this forum stress way to much about the importance of an actual letter, I'm not adcom member and only a MSII but ... as a non-traditional student you have excellent excuse for not getting a premed committee letter ... you went to school like 5-10 years ago!

Don't make it easy for the school you are applying to toss your app in the basket, ... your premed committee letter will lay it out "Johnny Applicant is in the lower 50% of the class" ... your letter from YOUR hand picked letter writers won't have any of this information.

You are selling yourself ... remember that. Be a car salesman with your applicatoin! I just asked a wedding photographer for references ... do you think he gave me people who were unhappy or mediocre with his work? Hell no! Don't make the mistake of doing this with your application. You need to be honest, but do everything in your power to frame yourself in a positive light.

 

[viostorm]

Hello there. I am a former Harvard pre-med advisor/current resident and thought I could lend some help.

Welcome to SDN!